The District 17-4A high school football standings can be jumbled in one of two ways after Lehman plays Friday night at Del Valle.

If the Lobos can take their second straight district victory after starting their lives with 20 straight district losses, then they would sit comfortably with the upper hand in a second-place tie with two games remaining, especially if Hays beats Manor (which is likely) and Elgin beats Lockhart (which is a tossup if Lockhart star running back Dominique Hardaway is limited, as he has been for the last two weeks).

If the Lobos lose, then they would probably be in a three-way tie for third place, still contending for the playoffs, though from a weaker position.

Either way, the final three weekends look a lot different for the Lobos after last Friday’s 21-6 win at home against Elgin raised them to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the district. For the first time, the Lobos are in line to push for the playoffs, if they’re not already satisfied with clinching their first break-even season after claiming their first district victory.

“The thing we’ve been preaching is that we’ve won one game,” Lehman coach Steve Davis said. “But we still have a lot to practice and a lot to accomplish.”

Lehman produced another strong defensive performance against Elgin, allowing only 158 total yards and dropping its average allowance to 229.3 yards per game for opposing offenses.

Del Valle (6-1 overall, 2-0 District 17-4A) is tied in first place with Hays (2-5, 2-0). The Cardinals have demonstrated that they can win by running or throwing, whichever is required.

In their 31-14 win against Lockhart to start the district season, the Cardinals rode the passing of veteran quarterback Josef Cortez, who completed 10 of 20 throws for 239 yards while the ground attack produced only 82 yards. In last week’s 29-7 win against Manor, the Cardinals rushed for 175 yards, led by 102 yards for running back Jovanni Valdez.

“They have good team speed,” Davis said. “They pose some challenges, but we have some things schemed up.”

The Lobos went without a 100-yard rusher for the second straight game in last week’s win against Elgin. However, quarterback Harvest Trammell completed 14 of 21 passes for 171 yards.

In another important game involving a Hays County team, Wimberley goes to Liberty Hill hoping to extend its lead in District 8-3A. The Texans are 4-3 overall and 3-0 in the District, while Liberty Hill is 3-4 and 2-2.

Liberty Hill already has lost more games this year than it lost the previous three years combined, when it totaled 42-3 with Class 3A state championships in 2006 and 2007. The Panthers face their final three weeks from fifth place, behind the first-place Texans, Burnet (5-2, 3-1), Canyon Lake (4-3, 2-1) and Llano (3-3, 2-1).

Dripping Springs, which has lost six straight games, already is mathematically eliminated from the District 25-4A playoff race. It doesn’t get any easier for the Tigers (2-6, 0-4) Friday night, when they go to Pflugerville Hendrickson (4-2, 2-1).

After winning its first four games, San Marcos Baptist Academy has lost three straight, falling to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in TAPPS Division II District 3. The Bears will play Friday night at home against Giddings State School, with whom they share the district basement. Giddings is 2-3 and 0-2.